Lifting a Credit Freeze

Un-Freezing Your Credit Report

Freezing your credit won't hurt your score, but it will keep an identity thief from opening new accounts in your name which is a good thing. Keep in mind when purchasing a home or refinancing you will need to "Un-Freeze" your reports with the credit bureaus.

When a mortgage lender pulls your credit they will be alerted that there's a freeze on your credit report and you will need to contact that particular company (Trans Union, Experian, Equifax), and each company has a process so ensure you check.

Below are the 3 different Credit Bureaus that you may have a Freeze on:

Transunion

You may request a lift of your freeze from Trans Union online, by mail, or by phone.

By phone: You will need to have your SSN, DOB, Security Freeze Pin, lift type, start date and end dates. It can take up to 15 minutes to process this request.

By mail: Complete the Lift Section of the Security Freeze Form that is sent to you after you've requested the freeze, mail it back to the address at the bottom of the form. It can take up to 3 business days from the date of receipt to process this request.

Note: If you're in the state of Colorado and are requesting a lift, you must ask for a "Global Lift." This does not require third parties to have a PIN to access your credit file.

Experian

You may request a lift of your freeze from Experian online or by phone

For either, you will need to provide your identification information and PIN. Experian will then provide you with a PIN to give to third parties that need to retrieve your report.

Equifax

You may request a lift of your freeze from Equifax online or by phone

For either, you will need to provide your 10-digit security freeze confirmation PIN provided in your confirmation letter, date range and the name of the specific credit grantor/report user you woul like to receive your report.